Means for protecting well drilling



M y 1950 J. D. BENNETT 2,506,538

MEANS FOR PROTECTING WELL DRILLING ROTARIES AGAINST BLOWOUTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1947 J0 i i i if 3/ I 33..

6 I 27 1 h I! 5; 29 i l I 2 r 15 g l t. i; Z6 I Z5 Q o 0 a: 0 o d" 1 i' 1 l 24 II I l (John D. Ben/2e ff INVENTOR.

AT TORNE Y May 2, 1950 J. D. BENNETT v MEANS FOR PROTECTING WELL DRILLING ROTARIES AGAINST BLOWOUTS' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1947 John D Benneff Q R Q ww \w R Q INVENTOR.

Mi ATTORNEY Patented May 2, 1950 .=:15.Glaims. :51

The invention concerns a novel *arrangement for; protecting the 1 interior 'of .5 a 'rotary aagainst mud-J water thrown .upwardlylagainstthea rofrom the-well being-drilled.

' Ihisapplication is a continuationsinepartzrof I applicant's 'copending application, :Serial .No. 729,154, filed February 17, 1947.

:GJccasionaHy during well drilling operations pockets of gas are encountered below. the surface,

the 'gas 'being releasedto the'surface under tremendous i pressure 1 andtmomentarily" flooding the derrick-with mud: and water. At suchtimes'the rotary, beingpositioned'directly over the surface of the well, is exposed to the upfiowing stream of mud, water and gas which tends to penetrate thru even the smallest openings'iin the under side ofithe rotaryand' to. collect in'stheJinteriorthereoi. Upon entering the interior. of. the rotaryi the mud and water may come: in contact-with. the 'driving gears and bearings and: interfere with the opera-- tion of' the rotary. .It is anobjectoftheiinvention to provide protection against the condition described.

"The; invention willcberun'derstood" from the following. description .:and accompanying .tdrawing.

Fig. .1 isra top-:yiew of. a portion'of' a rotary embodying the "invention.

.fFigTZ'iS as'seotional viewain'elevatlon, taken on line.'2-;-2 :of Fig; 1, showing. a portion "of a .rotary immediatelya'dj acent theirotary Ita'b-le.

.Fig. 3'is'a fragmentary viewin elevation; partly inrsection,cof :a portion of the. apparatus shown ln'Fig. 2.

.Referring to theiclrawing, a baseis provided.

only a'rportion'ofwhich is :shown; 'The'base is shaped generally like a rectangular box andshas sidernndtendwallsra top and a: bottom. A-circular well is-formedin the baseadapted to receive:arotary table. Thei-WGHlSOf smaller-diameter at"the bottom .thanz-at the top and is formed by an annular-wall 'l which extends upwardly'fromithe bottom, an annular walL 2 which extends downwardly fromthe top, anda horizontally extending ring 3 which connects the-nanmilaravallsi hand-2. The horizontally extending ring 3 is= depressedaadjacent the .periphery ofthe upwardlyiextending wall. I; and extends-outwardly rand upwardlyz f'romca-rpoint near the top: thereof toiformzanzannular gutter 4.

fNIOtary table: isaprovided whichshasa circular top 5zandra depending annular wall the depending 'annularzwalltii being: ofismalleridiameter thantthetoprfi. .Thejower-rendfof the depending mularvwallifi iscdisposed iwithin ttheiupwarldly wardlyi from?the:.depen-dingiwalli li, abovectheewm wardly extending wall :l,1-an=d hasiari annmar groove-8?infthe-undeniside thereof:adapteditotre .ceive:-the-. top: of thenupwardly extending-mall; l'. A retaining :"ring *9 :ex-tends Einwafdly :from ttl re horizontally extendingrring 3;.abovefthetannuiar .g-utter 4,--=and.:isz-adapted tofslidablyt-rengageithe outwardly extending rin'g tozretain'cthe rotary .tablein the. base. The retainin ringiaisfremov ably securedutothe.horizontallyzextendingermgui by a series 30f bolts: III.

.The retaining ring 19; is formed'z in two Phalve's which are adapted to be fastened:'..-togetherrb'y bolts, one i of which is; indicated ebytthemumeral I I after" they 'are :placedin :position' aboiit'tthe depending wall 6-.above the outwardly extending ring 1. An-eoutervracewing. l22is securedttoithe upper :si'derrof wthearetainingirring 9 :andwani race: ring f3 is secured: to the under sideto'f tablettop 5. Ball bearings l4,'having'=a rspaeing ring 1 5, are positioned between: the "racerings. I 2 and I3? and :are aadapted to rotatablyisuppontithe rotary table. :This: arrangement is-describedzarfd 'cla-imedxinwmy?copendingsapplication,:SerialrNo.

.A ringt-gear tfirisisecured to'tne'under side 0'! thez-table top- 5'i-adja cent-its periphery. Athen zontaliy ldisposed drive 1 shaft 1!! "i'iS :rrotatafiiy mountedinthe'base. Apinionrgear was secured to one-endaofi thedri'vei shaft: H and is; rotatable therewith. The pinion gear-1:8 projectssithruean opening: in r the upperpart of 1 the 'wellesurrolmding the rotarytable-and is adapted toengage the ring gear 1-6. to. rotate therotary table.

The rotary table is -prov=ided"-wvith i a central :opening H! adapted to :receive a Kelly drivers. pairsofifslipssona bushing. :Therdrawingfshowssa bushing :20: insertedjnz the opening- -I 9, the? bushing 20 in turn having a central opening-2 lra'dapted 2 to receive a :Kellyadrive ore a rpair of slips 'of smallendiameterathan the opening-1 9. :AaFEeHy drive 22 is shown insertedin the openingdl. m removable insert 23, positioned in the openingizfl, provides a'= bearing surface for the lower eendr of the; Kellywdriver'zz and: fora pair: of; slips.

.Mud 'and=.water whichi may bethrown: upwardly against .thetrotary: from :the well them-g drilled and wvliichzrmayeenterathe .spaee hetween': wardlyzex-tending fWaIHfi la andrthe dependingmll 6, :iS prevented from enteringz the interiornofnthe rotary by .the arrangementihereinafter described;

.-An:annular:: grooveizdx is formed. in {thee exterior surfaoenf the depending Wall's-about the-periphery thereof. .Anrelastic s 0 :ring .2=5-,.-is disposed withimthe a'amnllarzagroove..-z4,l. theaelasticaoarina wall I.

25 being adapted to seal the space between the depending wall 5 and the upwardly extending A plurality of circumferentially spaced channels 26 are formed in the depending wall 3 adjacent the lower end thereof, the channels 25 extending diagonally upwardly and outwardly from the interior surface of the dependin wall 6 and communicating at their outer ends with the annular groove 24. The arrangement is such that when a blowout occurs the fluid pressure applied to the under side of the rotary will tend to force the elastic O ring outwardly into seala ing engagement with the upwardly extending wall I. When the pressure is discontinued the elastic O ring 25 will return to its original position in the annular groove 24.

An annular cavity 21 is formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall 6 about the periphery thereof, the annular cavity 21 being positioned above the annular groove 24 and separated therefrom by anannular portion 28 of the depending wall 6. A plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced ribs 29 divide the annular cavity 2'! into segments, the outermost extremities of the ribs 29 being disposed adjacent the upwardly extending annular wall I. Small amounts of mud and water which are not retained below the elastic O ring 25, and which may pass upwardly thru the space between the depending wall 6 and the upwardly extending wall I, will be collected in the annular cavity 2'! and will not be permitted to penetrate into the interior of the rotary.

Mud and water collecting in the annular cavity 21 will be thrown outwardly by centrifugal force against the upwardly extending wall I and ultimately will be discharged from the rotary. The interior surface of the upwardly extendin wall I adjacent the annular cavity 21 will be continuously scraped clean by the action of the ribs 29.

An annular groove 30 is formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall 6 about the periphery thereof, the annular groove 30 being positioned above the annular cavity 21 and separated therefrom by a portion 3| of the depending wall 6. An elastic O ring 32 is disposed'within the annular groove 30, the elastic O ring 32 being adapted to seal the space between the depending wall 6 and the upwardly extending wal1 I. A plurality of circ-umferentially spaced channels 33 extend upwardly from the annular cavity 2! and communicate at their upper ends with the annular groove 30. Fluid pressure applied to the under side of the rotary will tend to force the elastic 0 ring 32 outwardly into sealin engage ment with the upwardly extending wall 1, and

when the pressure is discontinued the elastic 0 ring 32 will return to its original position in the annular groove 30.

The invention as described herein may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim:

1. In a well drilling rotary comprising a base having an upwardly extending annular'wall and a rotary table having a depending annular wall, the depending wall being disposed within the upwardly extending wall, means for protecting the interior of the rotary against mud and water thrown upwardly against the rotary from the well being drilled comprising an annular groove formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof, an elastic O ring disposed within the annular groove 7 and adapted to seal the space between the depending wall and the upwardly extending wall, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced channels extending outwardly from the interior surface of the depending wall and communicating at their outer ends with the annular groove, the arrangement being such that fluid pressure applied to the under side of the rotary will tend to force the elastic O ring outwardly into sealing engagement with the upwardly extending wall.

2. In a well drilling rotary comprising a base having an upwardly extendin annular wall and a rotary table having a depending annular wall, the depending wall being disposed within the upwardly extending wall, means for protecting the interior of the rotary against mud and water thrown upwardly against the rotary from the well being drilled comprising an annular groove formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof, an elastic 0 ring disposed within the annular groove and adapted to seal the space between the depending wall and the upwardly extending wall, and a pluirality of circumferentially spaced channelsextending diagonally upwardly and outwardly from the interior surface of the depending wall and communicating at their outer ends with the an-. nular groove.

3. In a well drilling rotary comprising a base having an upwardly extending annular wall and a rotary table having a depending annular'wall, the depending wall being disposed within 'the'upe wardly extending wall, means for protecting the interior of the rotary against mud andv water thrown upwardly against the rotary from the well being drilled comprising an annular cavity formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof and a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced ribs dividing the annular cavity into segments, the arrangement being such that mud and water passing upwardly thru the space between the depending wall and the upwardly extending wall will be collected in the annular cavity.

.4. In a well drilling rotary comprising a base having an upwardly extending annular wall and a rotary table having a depending annularwall, the depending wall being disposed within the upwardly extending wall, means for protecting the interior of the rotary against mud and water thrown upwardly against the rotary from the Well being drilled comprising an annular cavity formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof and a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced ribs dividing the annular cavity into segments, the outermost extremities of the ribs being disposed adjacent the upwardly extending annular wall and the arrangement being such that mud and water collecting in the annular cavity will be thrown outwardly by centrifugal force against the upwardly extending wall and the interior surface of the upwardly extending wall adjacent the annular cavity will be scraped clean by the action of the ribs.

5. In a well drilling rotary comprising a has having an upwardly extending annular wall and a rotary table having a-depending annular wall, the depending wall being disposed within the upwardly extending wall, means for protecting the interior of the rotary against mud and water thrown upwardly against the rotary from the well being drilled comprising ai'afair of annular grooves; formed in the exteriorssurface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof and positioned one above the other, elastic 0 rings disposed with-s saucers in-ithemnnuhr grooves and adaptcd to mean-me space between .lthe wrapending wall antl'sithe I up war'rlly extending aw all, i an anmilaneavity formed ins-the cxterior @surface of the 'depending- -wall about theaperiphery -thereof, =the annular cavity being positioneddaetweenthe-annularsgrooves and separatedlitherelrom by :portionsoflthe depending wall; and arplurality of radially extending, air-- cumferentially spaeeti ribs-fiividingithe r annular oavityiinto'segments;

28; Elms; :well'hrilling :rotarywomprising 3a: base hselngian upwardly-extending annular wall and amtarytable having 1; depending annular' wall, thei'd'epen'ding wall' beingfiisposed withifithe up werdly extending wzill, -means for protecting the interior of the rotary *against mud "and water tliisownrupwardlg aagainstfithe rotary fmnrsthe'well about the peririhery thereof, the "annular cavity being. positioned' between the annular grooves-and separatedtherfiomby portions of the depend ing wall;aplurallity of ra'dially extending, cireurn-- 'terentially spacedribs dividing the annulareavity intossegments, and a 'plurality"of oircumferem tiallyspaced ohannels extending *upwardlyfiom the *annular cavity and communieating at their upper ends with theupper annular groove.

'Tf'In a well drilling *rotary eomprisin'g a base ha ving-an upwardly extending annular wall and arotary" table having'a depending annular wall, the 'depending wall being-"disposed-'-within'*theup wardly extendingwall, means-for protecting' the interior of *the' rotary against mud "and-water thrownupwardly against the rotary from the well being drilled comprising .an vannular groove formed in the-exteriorsurface of the depending wall aboutzthe periphery thereof anelasticsorring disposed within the annular grooverandiadapted to seal thespacerbetween-the"depending wall and the upwardly extending wall, a plurality of circurnferentially spaced channels extendingroutlwardlyfrom the 'interior surface of the itdepend ing" wall and "communicating at'i'th'e'ir outer ends with the *"annular'groove, an annular cavity formed in theiexteriorvsurfaceloffthe depending wall about the periphery thereof, the annular cavity'b'eing,positioned above theannulangrorive and 'separatedtherefrom by an annular portion of the depending wall, and a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced ribs dividing the annular cavity into segments.

8. In a well drilling rotary comprising a base having an upwardly extending wall and a rotary table having a depending annular wall, the depending wall being disposed within the upwardly extending wall, means for protecting the interior of the rotary against mud and water thrown upwardly against the rotary from the well being drilled comprising an annular cavity formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof, a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced ribs dividing the annular cavity into segments, an annular groove formed in the exterior surface of the depending walleaboutitheperipherythereoffithaana nular groovdbeing positioned :above dnmannnlar. cavity and separated therefromf'by ;a':p0rtlon*:of

the depending wall, an "elastic 1J0 ringqdispoeed within the annular-groove and zadaptedrtoiscali the space 'betweentheadepending :wall and 'rthe upwardly extending-walLl-and a :plurality of -011% cumferentially spaced channels extending tun-- wardly :from :the annular cavity and communi eating at their :upper ends, with the -annularg-roove;

"9. In a well "drilling rotary':oomprislngva ba$ havingran upwardly extending -annular wall rand a rotarytable'having a depending :annular wall;

the-depending wall being disposed within tha up wardly extending "wall; means for protecting: the interior of"-the :rotary against :mud': and-water thrown upwardly :against' the rotary from tires-well being drilled comprising an annularcavity in :the exterior surface-of the dependingwim about the periphery "thereof, an --annular:grooveformed in f the exterior surface "of (the depenfiing? wall about the periphery thereof, "the anl'll llw" groove heing positioned above the-annu-l'ar cavity and separated therefrom by *aportion of thenc pending wall, anela'stic Osring disposed'='within" the annular groove and'adapted toseal -the' spaee between-the dependingwall and theupwardly-ex-- tending wall, and a plurality ofcircumferenti-ally spaced channels extending upwardly from the annular cavity and communicating at' theirupp'er" ends with the annular groove, the arrangement being such-that fluidapress-ure applied to tho umden-side of th-erotary will tendto tores the Owing outwardly into sealing engagement -with' the up? wardlyextending'wall.

lop ln a'wvell drilling rotarycomprising a base having an -upwardly"'extending annuiawwall and:

a w rotary table having depending annular wall, the dependingwall being ciisposed within the upweirdly extending wall, means-Tor protecting -'the interior "of the rotary against mud and "Water thrown-upwardlyagainstthe=rotary from the'well being drilled comprising an annular *groo've formed in the exterior surface of' the dependingl wall about the periphery thereof} an-ela'stie-ring disposed within the-annular 'groove and adzn iteii to seal the-space between' the dependi-ng wall and the :u-pwardly extending" wall, and a p'lurality of circumferentially spaceci ehannels extending out war'dly rrom theinterior surface 'of the depending wall-and'communioating-at their outer endsiwith' the annulargroove, the arrangement beingsuch that fiuid pressure applied :to the under sidrof the rotary willtend to force" the elastic ring-out wardly into sealing -engagement with the *-'upwardlyextendingwall.

. 1 1'. In '-a well-drilling rotary: comprising weasehaving an upwardlyextendingannular wall and rotary table having a -=depending' -annular =wall ,'l'

the depending wall being disposed within the upwardly extending wall, means for protecting the interior of the rotary against mud and water thrown upwardly against the rotary from the well being drilled comprising a pair of annular grooves formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof and positioned one above theother, elastic rings disposed within the annular grooves and adapted to seal the space between the depending wall and the upwardly extending wall, an annular cavity formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof, the annular cavity being positioned between the annular grooves and separated therefrom by portions of the depending wall,' and a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced ribs dividing the annular cavity into segments.

12. In a well drilling rotary comprising a base having an upwardly extending annular wall and a rotary table having a depending annular wall,

thrown upwardly against the rotary from'the well being drilled comprising a pair of annular rooves formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof and positioned one above the other, elastic rings disposed within the annular grooves and adapted to seal the space between the depending wall and the upwardly extending wall, a plurality of circumferentially spaced channels extending outwardly from the interior surface of the depending wall and communicating at their outer ends with the lower annular groove, an annular cavity formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof, the annular cavity being positioned between the annular grooves and separated therefrom by portions of the-depending wall, a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced ribs dividing the annular cavity into segments, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced channels extending upwardly from the annular cavity and communicating at their upper ends with the upper annu lar groove.

13. In a well drilling rotary comprising a base having an upwardly extending annular wall and a rotary table having a depending annular wall, the depending wall being disposed within the upwardly extending wall, means for protecting the interior of the rotary against mud and water thrown upwardly against the rotary from the well being drilled comprising an annular groove formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof, an elastic ring disposed within the annular groove and adapted to seal the space between the depending wall and the upwardly extending wall, a plurality of circumferentially spaced channels extending outwardly from the interior surface of the depending wall and communicating at their outer ends with the annular groove, an annular cavity formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof, the annular cavity being positioned above the annular groove and separated therefrom by an annular portion of the depending wall, and a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced ribs dividing the annular cavity into segments.

14. In a well drilling rotary comprising a base having an upwardly extending walland a rotary table having a depending annular wall, the depending wall being disposed within the upwardly extending wall, means for protecting the interior of the rotary against mud and water thrown upwardly against the rotary from the well being drilled comprising an annular cavity formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof, a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced ribs'dividin: the annular cavity into segments, an annular groove formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof, the annular groove being positioned above the annular cavity and separated therefrom by a P rtion of the depending wall, an elastic ring disposed within the annular groove and adapted to seal the space between the depending wall and the upwarly extending wall, and a plurality of radially spaced channels extending upwardly from-the annular cavity and communicating at their upper ends with the annular groove.

15. In a well drilling rotary comprising a base having an upwardly extending annular wall and a rotary table having a depending annular wall; the depending wall being disposed within the upwardly extending wall, means for protecting the interior of the rotary. against mud and water thrown upwardly against the rotary from the well being drilled comprising an annular cavity formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof, an annular groove formed in the exterior surface of the depending wall about the periphery thereof, the

annular groove being positioned above theannular cavity and separated therefrom by a portion of the depending wall, an elastic ring disposed within the annular groove and adapted to seal the space between the depending wall and, the upwardly extending wall, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced channels extending upwardly from the annular cavity and communicating at their upper ends with the annular groove,

the arrangement being such that fluid pressure applied to the under side of the rotary will tend to force the elastic ring outwardly into sealing engagement with the upwardly extending wall. JOHN D. BENNETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNTi ED STATES PATENTS Germany Jan. 8, 193:3 

